The Sixers’ bid for a 2021 Finals appearance ended sooner than we all expected, but that gives us a chance to get a head start on offseason matters.
Arriving to Philadelphia as the return piece in the trade that sent Al Horford packing, Danny Green could have done almost nothing this season and still felt like a major upgrade.
That’s a valued skill on any NBA team, but on a Philadelphia team built around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, it made him a useful sidekick to both of Philadelphia’s brand-name stars, ready for a swing pass when Embiid was doubled in the post or a kick to the corner following a Ben Simmons drive.
Green occupying one space at most or all times provided Embiid specifically with a sense of security as a passer.
In 2019-20, the Sixers struggled to merely get Embiid the ball on the low block, in part because of his own failure to establish position but also because of a stable of reluctant and inaccurate entry passers.
Green’s playoff run will ultimately receive an incomplete grade following the calf injury that ruled him out for the series, but he was on track to be a “tale of two series” sort of player.
While I’d contend that was as much about scheme as anything else — Young killed drop coverage throughout the series against a series of Philly defenders — it followed a yearlong pattern of Green struggling to contain more dynamic ballhandlers around the league.
That said, Green was one of the few guys who consistently made plays and got back in transition defense, and his awareness as a team defender was an asset to the team on a broader level.
Green, who just turned 34 years old a couple of days ago, almost certainly has some productive years left ahead of him.
In today’s ball-screen-heavy league, it can be difficult for a player to stay on the matchup and in the spot you want them to be for most of the game, but the simple act of placing Green on secondary assignments from the jump will be to both Green and the team’s benefit.
Is Green still a guy who should be trusted to play a starter’s role on a good team? The success of Philadelphia’s starting group suggests the answer is a pretty firm yes, with Green understanding his role and place in the ecosystem quite well.
The Sixers have Early Bird rights for Green, which means they can offer up to 175% of his previous salary or 105% of the league-average salary in 2020-21, whichever number is greater, and can do so without paying any mind to the salary cap.
Bringing Green back feels like an absolute no-brainer to me, though it must come with some diminished expectations from the head coach.
Should the Sixers need to match salaries for an expensive star, having Green at a number slightly higher than it seems like he should get paid would actually be an asset.